The Northwest College Office of International Student & Scholar Services is seeking local families to join the Friendship Family program, which gives members of the community an opportunity to learn more about world cultures while making an impact on the lives of international students attending NWC.

The program, which has been in existence for several years, serves as a cross-cultural exchange between community members and students, who reside on campus but periodically join their Friendship Family for other activities. This often includes sharing meals, celebrating special or traditional events, or trips to nearby locations a student may otherwise be unable to visit.

Having a Friendship Family helps the student feel welcomed and supported by the community, while building lifelong connections and sharing unique experiences throughout the year. Each student and volunteer family will fill out a questionnaire to help find the right fit, and the families will decide how often they meet with the students. A Friendship Family mixer will also be taking place on Thursday, Aug. 28 as part of the matching process, with more details to be announced at a later date.

Those interested in participating in the program should contact Sami Ashcraft at 307-754-6188, or sami.ashcraft@nwc.edu.